Supported File Formats
All the document types you can upload and print through HandyPrintz
HandyPrintz is designed to cover the file types that customers bring to print shops most often — assignments, reports, certificates, presentations, invoices, and photos. Below is a complete breakdown of every format the platform accepts, how each type is handled on the server, and practical tips for getting the best print results.
Format Overview
| Format | Extensions | Processing |
|---|---|---|
| Sent directly to the print queue — no conversion needed | ||
| Microsoft Word | .doc, .docx | Automatically converted to PDF on the server |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | .ppt, .pptx | Automatically converted to PDF on the server |
| Microsoft Excel | .xls, .xlsx | Automatically converted to PDF on the server |
| Images | .png, .jpg, .jpeg | Sent directly to the print queue as images |
PDF Documents
PDF is the most print-ready format and the safest choice when you want your document to look exactly the same on the printed page as it does on your screen. When you upload a PDF, HandyPrintz queues it directly without any conversion step. Fonts, images, and layout are preserved as-is. If your original document is in another format and you have the option to export it as PDF before visiting the print shop, doing so gives you the most predictable result.
Microsoft Office Conversion
Documents created in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel are not natively printable through a browser. HandyPrintz converts these files to PDF automatically on the server using LibreOffice, an open-source office suite that runs in headless mode. The conversion handles text, tables, charts, embedded images, and standard formatting.
There are a few things to keep in mind when uploading office files:
- Fonts: If your document uses a speciality font that is not installed on the server, LibreOffice substitutes a similar system font. For documents where exact typography matters — such as a resume with a custom typeface — exporting to PDF on your own device before uploading provides the most accurate result.
- Macros and scripts: Any VBA macros or embedded scripts in Word or Excel files are ignored during conversion. They do not execute on the server.
- Complex layouts: Documents with multi-column layouts, text boxes, or layered objects convert best in DOCX or PPTX format. Older DOC and PPT formats may occasionally show minor alignment differences after conversion.
After conversion, the original office file is deleted from the server immediately. Only the generated PDF is retained in the queue until the print job is completed.
Image Printing
PNG and JPG images are accepted as uploads and sent to the print queue without conversion. They display at their native resolution in the shopkeeper's print view. For the best print quality, upload images at 300 DPI or higher. Low-resolution images — such as screenshots or social media thumbnails — may appear blurry or pixelated when printed on paper, especially at larger sizes.
If you want to print multiple images on a single page or control the exact placement, consider arranging them in a Word or PowerPoint document and uploading that instead. You can also use the copies and page-range settings on the upload form to control how many copies of the image the shopkeeper should print.
File Size Limit
The maximum allowed file size per upload is 25 MB. This threshold accommodates the vast majority of documents, presentations, and photos that customers typically bring to a print shop. If your file exceeds the limit, here are some practical ways to reduce its size:
- For PDFs: Use a free online tool or your PDF reader's "Reduce File Size" feature to compress embedded images.
- For Word and PowerPoint files: Compress the images within the document (most Office apps have a built-in "Compress Pictures" option).
- For images: Reduce the resolution or save in JPG format with moderate quality instead of PNG if the image does not require transparency.
- For large presentations: Split the file into two parts and upload each as a separate print job.
Unsupported Formats
HandyPrintz currently does not accept file types outside the list above. Formats like TXT, HTML, EPS, SVG, TIFF, RAW camera files, ZIP archives, and video files are not supported. If you need to print something in an unsupported format, the simplest workaround is to convert it to PDF on your own device before uploading.